Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1887-09-10
THE SOCIALIST PLATFORM.
What the Radical Wing Of the Labor
Party Agitate For.

Party Agitate For.
Labor being the self-evident creator of
all wealth and civilization, II is but
equitable that those who perform a!l
labor and thus create all wealth should
enjoy the pro,lnct of their toll.
But this is rendered impossible by the
modern system of production, which,
since the discovery of steam power and
since the general Introduction Of ma
chimes, is in all branches of industry
carried with such gigantic means and
appliances as but few are able to
possess.
The present industrial system is co
operative in one respect oHiH, which is:
That not, rs in former times, the indi-
vidual works alone for his own account,
but dozens, hundreds and thousands Of
men work together in shops, in mines, on
huge farms and lands. cooperating ac-
cording to the most efficient division OF
labor, while the fruits of this C0-opera-
tive labor are not reaped by the workers
themselves, but are in a great measure
appropriated by the owners of the means
of production.
This system, by gradually extinguish
ing the middle class of people, necessari-
ly separates society into two classes: The
class of the wage workers, and that of
the great bosses
1t brings forth as its natural out
growths:
The planlessness and reckless rate Of
production.
The waste of human and natural
forces.
The commercial and industrial crises.
The constant uncertainty of the ma
teral existence of the wage workers.
The misery of the laboring masses.
The accumulation of wealth in the
hands of few.
These conditions, which under the
present industrial system cannot but be-
come more and more aggravated, is in
consistent with the interests of mankind.
with the principles of justice and true
democracy, as they destroy those rights
which the Declaration of Independence
of the United States holds to be inalien-
able in all mon: The right to life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness.
These conditions shorten and imperil
life by want and misery. They destroy
! liberty because the economical subiec-
ton of the wage-workers to the owners
of the means of production Immediately
leads to their political dependence upon
the same sources, and finally Illustrate
the pursuit of happiness, which is never
possible when life and personal liberty
are constantly endangered.
In order, therefore, to abolish these
humiliating conditions, we strive to
introduce the perfect system of cooper
ative prodnction--th is, we demand
that the workers obtain the undivided
product of their toll
This being only feasible by securing to
the workers the control of the means of
production,
We demand:
That the land, the instruments of pro-
duction machines, factories, etc., the
products of labor, become the common
property Of the whole people, and,
That all production be organized CO.
operatively, and be carried on under the
direction of the commonwealth; and also
| the cooperative distribution of the pro-
ducts in accordance with the service rem
dcred, and with the just needs of the in
dividuals.
And to realize our demands, we strive
| by all proper means to gain control of
the political power.
The Socialistic Labor Party claims the
title, Labor Party because it recog-
nizes the existence of an oppressed class
| of wage-wOrlerS as its fundamental
| truth, and the emancipation of this OPP
pressed laboring class as its foremost
object.
POLITICAL DEMANDS.
/. Abolition of the Presidency. Vice
Presidency and Senate of the United
| States. An Executive Board to be cstab-
lished, whose members are to be elected,
and may at any time be recalled, by the
House of Representatives as the only
legislative body. The States and Municis
palites to adopt corresponding amend
ments of their constitutions and statutes
2. Municipal elf-government.
| 3. Direct vote and secret ballots in all
elections. Universal and equal right Of
suffrage without regard to color, creed
or sex. Election days to be legal holidays.
The principle Of minority representation
to be introduced.
4. The people to have the right to pro-
pose laws Gnitiative) and to vote upon
all laws of importance (referendum).
8. The members of all legislative
bodies to be responsible to and subject to
recall by the constituency.
6. Uniform law throughout the United
States. Administration of justice To be
free of charge. Abolition of capital